


Happily ever after

by KangKorandKoloth



Series: Assorted Shunnao One Shots [7]
Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Late Night Conversations, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 12:19:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16702435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KangKorandKoloth/pseuds/KangKorandKoloth
Summary: Late night pregnacy one shot, Shunsui reading to a sleepless Nanao - see notes for further details





	Happily ever after

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nekno](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nekno/gifts), [comixqueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/comixqueen/gifts).



> Urrgh, bit of non sequitor but I'm very pleased with how this turned out and wanted to put it up anyway. Premise is Nanao's pregnant with twins and this is set in the last few weeks of that pregnancy. Hopefully that gives enough context for this to be enjoyable. 
> 
> There's a kind of companion peice to this set in the earlier on - but there's a little more I wish to add before I put it up. 
> 
> As usual, enjoy :)

“and they all lived happily ever after”

Nanao closes her eyes, the tale coming to an end with the usual pleasant conclusion.  It’s a familiar end, a dull and repetitive one for someone like her. A story like this one wouldn’t be her first choice but then again this is one story that’s not strictly for her.

They’ve been here hours and the warm glow of lamplight has reached the end of its life, oil burning away so the flame now laps half-heartedly at its burner, casting distorted shadows across velvet dark and rough tatami. By now, the fullness of the moon provides better light to read by, their proximity and the blankets he’s been wise enough to drag from their bed more warmth, not that either of them seemed to care. Nanao’s too tired to get up and refill the burner, Shunsui too engrossed in his own performance to consider moving or leaving her alone and cold. 

She lets out a yawn, the low sigh of a sound slipping out though sleep’s no nearer than it had been an hour ago. They were too active and she far from comfortable; although, Nanao concedes, at this stage it’s only to be expected. There couldn’t be much room left for one, let alone two and it wasn’t as if this was the first night she’d spent out here waiting for them to settle. Shunsui’s with her like he always is, although Nanao insists he doesn’t need to be. She’s taken leave, he hasn’t, and the burden of division and duty will be waiting for him in the morning. She appreciates the devotion, even though he worries her; half scared he’ll overdo it now they have so much more than just the 8th to worry about.

“I wonder how much they heard?”

She considers the question, a variation on his favourite theme; just how much their children might be aware of the world outside. He always asks, forever hopeful as she weighs up what she’s read in books or gleaned from the fourth then deals it out in a way which manages expectations. She likes his curiosity but sees no point in letting him get carried away either. It only spells hurt in the long run.

“I don’t know, perhaps snatches of it. It must be hard for them to hear in there”

A hand pats her stomach and receives a swift kick in response, earning a low chuckle of approval, the sound rumbling around Nanao just like the story has.

“They got every word,”

The other kicks now, and he rubs her stomach again, one large languid circle around the bump – giving both of them the benefit of his attention. He radiates pride, confident in every word. They’re not even here yet but to Shunsui it’s as if no-one else has ever managed such a grand feat as bringing life like this into the world. These are children to be doted on and Nanao has no doubt at all that these little girls will never be in doubt of how much they’re loved with him around.

“See, they know my voice,” he sounds so certain that managing expectations goes out of the window if only for a while; he’s a big eager kid himself and it’s difficult not to be affected by that. Nanao just nods, letting him have this one, it’s late and she doesn’t have the heart for anything else. “Probably know yours too, Nanao-chan”

She says nothing to that, just places a hand next to his, feeling the babies wriggle and kick while she snuggles against his chest wanting that time-honoured sense of comfort. A part of her wonders if he has the right of it and their little ones really do catch hold of every word they say. If so, it makes the tireless hours he spends talking and reading to them all the more important. She talks too, of course, but he takes it more in his stride, chatting along naturally – less stilted but then again that kind of performance did always come easier to him. She might brush it off as ridiculous or him being over indulgent, but she knows what he’s doing will help in the long run. Their daughter’s will have a good start, a beginning filled with the best they can offer and he’s mostly to blame for that.

“We’ll know for sure soon”

Her eyes remain closed, but she still senses how he seems to prick up at this comment, his nod of Solemn agreement very nearly tangible as he makes it.

“Three weeks” she adds by way of reminder, yawning again and noting the time on the ornamental clock they keep on a shelf, 4am just gone “You’d think they were training us”

It certainly does feel like that on nights like this. They keep her up with their kicking now. Every night like clockwork, nearly to the hour. Sometimes she gets up, sometimes she doesn’t, but it still saps her energy, leaving her able to do less once the sun’s risen.

“Three weeks, hey. Is that all Nanao-chan?”

Her eyes open at this, looking up questioningly, not sure if she’s trying to gauge a reaction or just wants to look at him. Three weeks is no time in the grand scheme of things and having someone else say it hits home just how quickly that time will go. Their lives are set to change in a flash and at times, if she’s honest with herself, she barely feels ready for it. A small, half scared part of her would give anything for another month or two just to get her head around what’s to come. To put things back so they can be faced head on with her trade mark flair for organisation. It’s a naïve thought, however. What will come will do so whether she likes it or not and deep down she is excited. She wants more than anything, to know these insistent little people who place her here, curled up and listening to a story performed more for them than for her. She wants to watch them grow and be the parents she never really had growing up. Perhaps with luck, her children will find that with them.

Besides, even if she falls short in every way, there will always be Shunsui to pick up the slack. 

A year ago, maybe less, she’d never have made that statement. She can almost see her past self, rolling her eyes in derision that this lazy, hedonistic goof of a man would consider picking up anything he didn’t have to. This past Nanao has not known the current Shunsui however. There’s so much still to do and the more things mount up, the slower she seems to become. Her body’s more uncooperative now and, as time ticks on and the work mounts up – she feels as if she’s lacking in ways she’s never thought possible. That’s where he comes in though. She falters, and he flows in, plugging gaps and solving problems in a way she’s never seen from him. Perhaps it’s a sign he’s finally growing up, although it seems a strange phrase to apply to one centuries older than herself. Whatever the reason though, he’s already proven himself; their children will be lucky to have a father like him.

“That’s all”

“Can’t wait”

_Ow!_

She’s gifted with another kick, this one out of the standard pattern, sudden and hard and painfully against her ribs so that she doesn’t cry out but curls up in a wince. Of all the things she won’t miss about pregnancy, it’s things like this that make the top of the list.

“Nanao-chan?”

 She nods away his concern and tries to get comfortable again, not that the twins want to make it easy. They wiggle in protest, another kick lands against her side; dealt out for good measure so she really knows they’re dissatisfied. She gasps but rights herself quickly enough to cut across his concern with a breathless explanation.

“I’m completely sure they’ll take after you. I swear they’re doing martial arts in there and they keep kicking me in the ribs”

His tongue clicks, three sharp sounds with a shake of the head to round off the look. Almost like dissatisfaction, she thinks, not sure that’s really the right word. The pride returns, shining out like a beacon at the merest mention that these two little girls might just take after him and again Nanao lets him have his moment- half suspecting he’s right. Behind her, she feels him move and soon she’s alone with only the blanket for warmth, while he stares down her bump, kneeling on the floor with both hands pressed to where they move the most.

“Girls,” his voice is playfully stern and his eyebrows wag,  as if they’re here in the flesh and he’s telling them off for not sharing or being too loud or the million and one other things they’ll be picked up on over the course of their lifetime “give your mother a break, she’s tired and I won’t have you beating her up”

An easy smile plays across her face and Nanao takes his hand, gives it a squeeze and holds it to her bump for a fraction longer. They’ll do fine, she decides, never surer of it than in moments like this. She can think of far worse things than to raise children that wind up like him.  Hopefully with a hint of her, just enough to balance out some of the insanity certain to come with two children so much like this man.

The cold comes to claim her after a few minutes without him and does nothing for her ability to sleep. She shivers, and he wraps the blankets around her but staying where he is. His head dips and dot her belly, one then another and another; plentiful but even in amount. He winds off the spectacle by pressing one more to her lips, a hand against her face as he tries to stand, joints cracking and creaking while Nanao slips onto her side, making sure there’s room again.

He sits down empty handed much to Nanao’s surprise. Her eyes drift back to the books, wondering just how many more they’ll get through before the time comes for them to be read as a family.

 “Do we have time for one more?”

The question is rhetorical, Nanao doubts it’s one he’s ever going to refuse.

 

 


End file.
